welcome to bbc news — i'm lewis vaughan jones. our top stories: brazil's former president lula da silva's released from prison after a court decision allowing convicts to be freed pending appeal. australia battles a record number of bushfires. two people die as rescuers struggle to reach people in the east of the country. the pm warns there could be worse to come. there have been hundreds of properties that have been destroyed. homes that have been destroyed and as we get access to further areas that have been cut off, we are expecting the worst news again. and, we hearfrom the british veteran who's collected thousands of pounds to build a new memorial

for the heroes of d—day. the former brazilian president, luiz inacio lula da silva, has been released from prison after 1.5 years behind bars for corruption charges. he was greeted by a crowd of supporters outside the police station in the southern city of curitiba where he had been held. his release comes after brazil's supreme court ruled that convicted criminals should not go to jail while their appeals are heard. katy watson reports from the former president's traditional heartland of sao paulo. singing. lula walked out of prison to an emotional crowd. "free lula," these people had been chanting, keen to witness what has

been an extraordinary day for brazilian politics. translation: i cannot tell you the importance of me being here with you. after spending a lifetime talking to the brazilian people, i never thought that today i could be here talking to men and women who, for 580 days, shouted, "good morning lula," "good afternoon, lula," or "goodnight, lula." you were the source of democracy that i needed. for lula supporters, this is an indication. in their eyes, it has been a political witch—hunt from the very beginning. but he's a politician who stirs emotions. his detractors see him as a corrupt politician who should stay behind bars. lula's freedom comes after brazil's supreme court ruled that convicted criminals

should only go to prison after they have exhausted all their appeals. it overturned a previous ruling requiring convicts to start serving their sentence after losing their first appeal. lula was accused of receiving kickbacks from a construction company in connection with a beachside apartment on the coast of sao paulo. the accusations were linked to brazil's biggest ever corruption investigation, operation car wash. he started a 12—year prison sentence in april 2018, after an appeal against his conviction was upheld. chanting. lula will now remain free while he appeals to higher courts. he also has several other cases against him for corruption. and being out of prison will no doubt strengthen the left in brazil, who didn't stop campaigning for their leader. but it will also strengthen the right. presidentjair bolsonaro has been pretty vocal in his criticism of lula, and millions agree. they see him and his

workers‘ party as responsible for the political and economic problems brazil has suffered in recent years. this deep hatred towards him is what propelled far right mr bolsonaro to power in the first place. freelance journalist michael fox was at lula da silva's prison release earlier and he explained what the former president was going to do now. well, what he says, he's on his way, if he has not already in sao paulo, in his home town, which is where he kind of got his start there at the abc metal workers union. he is expected to hold a big rally there tomorrow, do a longer speech. he spoke this evening for about 15—20 minutes. he is expected to speak for much longer tomorrow. and he says he is planning to tour the country. that's what he was doing in early 2018, until he was jailed, in the lead up to the election. and i think he really wants to keep that momentum going against the bolsonaro government, and tried to push to get the rest of his cases washed clean.

and what do you make of katy‘s assessment there, in her report, saying of course this is a boost for the left, but it may also be a boost for the right and bolsonaro to? well, that is exactly what some of what bolsonaro's advisers and top aides have been talking about. now, bolsonaro over the last two days has been completely silent. in fact, he kind of scurried away from a press scrum earlier today, but some of his top people, they're kind of split on the issue. some of them do say that this is going to be a boost for bolsonaro, because he is going to have someone to rail against. he's going to have a big, major enemy that he can fight and rally his own troops behind. other people say this is really not going to be so good for them, because lula is such a charismatic figure in brazil. he is so important in the country. lifted millions out of poverty,

one of the most highly—approved of presidents in history. and in fact, he was the man who was pretty much going to be swept into power last year until he was blocked because of this corruption charge. and so some of his other advisers fear having lula out, and really rallying his own troops in favour of the left. michael, of course, we have to remember, he is charismatic, yes, he's free, but he hasn't been exonerated, has he? no, he hasn't. and that's a very important point. he is free because of a supreme court ruling which goes back, it is a constitutional issue, and in fact that was an issue, the way that the constitution of 1988 was written, it said that all defendants could exhaust all their appeals before they would have to be sent to jail. that was flipped over in 2016 and now it's been returned, it's been turned back, just by this latest ruling. but his corruption conviction still stands and he had

several different cases against him. now, those are also coming under fire because of the recent revelations from the intercepts, which has shown thatjudge sergio moro, his jailer, was biased in his own right. he was the lead anticorruption judge, who has really been pushing the fight against corruption in brazil. but these really massive leaks from the intercept, which began to roll out injune, has really tainted his image. if you remember, he is now justice minister under jair bolsonaro. so that is calling into question many of the cases he had against lula. we're going to see how that plays out in the coming months. for the moment, michael fox, thank you for bringing us up to speed. australia's prime minister scott morrison has warned that bushfires will spread and have catastrophic consequences in the days ahead. it's been confirmed that two people have been killed in new south wales and several are still unaccounted for across eastern australia. with me is our news reporter freya cole. wright developments coming now every

hour or so. what is the latest?m is certainly another day of weather conditions for firefighters on the eastern coast. there are 1200 firefighters currently in the field battling these blazes. there are more than 100 bushfires across new south wales and queensland. some firefighters have come from new zealand to help tackle this natural disaster. as you say, we havejust heard from prime minister scott morrison who had a pretty stark warning for people on the eastern side but also for those living in western australia. these fires have already claimed two lives that have been concerned —— confirmed and as the premier said, we are expecting worse news as the day unfolds. they have been hundreds of properties that have been destroyed, homes that have been destroyed, homes that have been destroyed, and as we get access to further areas that have been cut off, we are expecting worse news again. we are expecting very similar

conditions in western australia over the next few days. we currently have 31 out of 37 districts in western australia that are in the high fire rating and three of those will go to catastrophic in the days ahead. so that is a pretty stark warning from the prime minister. we not even into the summer months in australia yet so we are looking at a very hot and dry season ahead. let us take a look at some pictures now. we have been picked seeing the pictures overnight coming through but now we have some today looking at the damage still ongoing and i am trying to assess exactly what is going on and what happens next. we know at least 100 properties have been destroyed were stopped talking to some contacts in new south wales, firefighters and saw an entire small town, a small village completely gutted by this blaze. there are going to be a lot of people and a lot of families who are left heartbroken from this natural disaster. here we are, we have some aerial pictures taken from a helicopter. there is a lot of smoke.

the flames are ferocious. i have to say, it is pretty early to see such huge firefighters across the east. the official season usually starts in october but this year, it was brought forward to august. we are seeing earlier and more intense bushfires. and what about four people trapped or being asked to leave 7 people trapped or being asked to leave? it is difficult with the winds, i gather, leave? it is difficult with the winds, igather, because leave? it is difficult with the winds, i gather, because sometimes embers are being taken beyond the edges so do you stay or go, it is quite difficult. that is right, they move quite difficult. that is right, they m ove very quite difficult. that is right, they move very fast. we are seeing strong winds up and down the east coast. new south wales rfs actually tweeted that they couldn't reach everybody yesterday which is heartbreaking to hear. we know that at least two people are dead and there are at least seven unaccounted for and as we heard from the prime minister and

also firefighters, they are expecting the death toll will rise as they can get into these villages which have been cut off by the bushfires. 0k, thank you for that, freya cole, keeping us across the events in australia. let's get some of the day's other news: health officials in the united states have declared a breakthrough in their search for the cause of vaping—related deaths and illnesses. they say that fluid taken from the lungs of 29 patients across the country revealed evidence of the chemical compound known as vitamin e acetate. it interferes with lung function if inhaled. police in the bolivian city of cochabamba have joined anti—government demonstrations. they took to the roof of their headquarters with a banner calling for the removal of president evo morales. there are reports of police in other cities also joining protests over last month's disputed presidential election. mr morales has rejected allegations that he rigged the election result to secure a fourth term in office. protesters in chile have gathered for another day of anti—government demonstrations.

on thursday, the chilean president sebastian pinera announced new measures to toughen penalties for looting and violence, after two weeks of protests that have left at least twenty people dead. india's supreme court is due to rule in a few hours on a controversial case relating to a religious site that's been disputed between hindus and muslims for decades. hindus believe that the piece of land in the holy town of ayodhya is the birthplace of their revered deity lord raam, while muslims say they have worshipped there for generations. 0ur correspondent arunoday mukharji reports. ayodhya, a city that clings to its ancient past. this is where one of hinduism's most revered deities, lord raam, is said to have been born thousands of years ago. it is also where hindus and muslims

have lived together for generations, until one incident changed that forever. in 1992, a 16th century mosque was demolished by hindu fundamentalists. thousands were killed in religious clashes across the country sparked by the incident. this man is one of the many hindu religious leaders who has been at the forefront, demanding a temple. his extreme views suggest why he needs protection. in his eyes, muslims must prove their patriotism.

for a country where faith plays such an integral role, a lot hinged on the court verdict. people here are apprehensive that the riot from 27 years ago should not repeat itself. just down this lane, a few hundred metres away, is the disputed side, contested by both hindus and muslims. we are not allowed to take our cameras beyond this point. many here feeljust as the mosque was destroyed, so was india's secular structure, leaving behind a deep divide between both communities. the majority of muslims feel

the current political atmosphere is of an aggressive brand of hindu nationalism, pushing them to the margins. those arguing the muslim side in court say hindus have no legal ground. but the younger generation here wants to move on. jobs over religion, they say. but the flames of a decades—old conflict similar beneath the surface.

the judgement is likely to define the future relationship between hindus and muslims in india and the nature of its secular democracy. stay with us on bbc world news. still to come: a big day for big bird as sesame street celebrates 50 yea rs on screen. the bombastic establishment outsider, donald trump, has defied the pollsters to take the keys to the oval office. i feel great about the result. i voted for him because i genuinely believe he cares about the country. it is keeping the candidate's name always in the public eye that counts. success or failure depends not only on public display, but on the local campaign headquarters and the heavy routine work of their women volunteers. berliners from both east and west

linked hands and danced around their liberated territory. and with nobody to stop them, it wasn't long before the first attempts were made to destroy the structure itself. yasser arafat, who dominated the palestinian cause for so long, has died. palestinian authority has declared a state of mourning. after 17 years of discussion, the result was an outburst ofjoy women ministers who long felt only grudgingly accepted in the ranks of clergy suddenly felt welcome. this is bbc news. the top story: brazil's former president luiz inacio lula da silva has walked free from jail after a court decision freeing prisoners that have not exhausted their appeals. the former new york city mayor and billionaire businessman michael bloomberg has given

the strongest signal yet that he intends to enter the us presidential race for the democratic party. he's filed the paperwork needed for the democratic primary in alabama just before the deadline expired. nada tawfik reports. just when it seems like the crowded field of democratic presidential candidates was finally narrowing, michael bloomberg has thrown the race a giant curveball. the billionaire businessman and former mayor of new york city has long teased a possible run, both in 2016 and earlier this year. i think there's an awful lot to be said for experience and accomplishment. bloomberg is said to have grown concerned that joe biden‘s lead is fading. the former vice president was asked about it today on the trail. in terms of — he's running because of me? last polls i looked at, i'm pretty far ahead. as a centrist, bloomberg doesn't believe left—leaning candidates like bernie sanders and elizabeth warren can beat president donald trump.

i have my reservations about the people running and the way they're campaigning and the promises they're making that they can't fulfil. those progressive candidates welcomed michael bloomberg to the race, with tweets attacking his wealth. the businessman has poured his money into liberal causes such as climate change and gun control. 0nce himself a republican, he has called donald trump a threat to the nation. at the white house, the president had his own words for his fellow new yorker. he will not do very well. and if he did, i would be happy. there is nobody i would rather run against than ‘little' michael. that i can tell you. normally in political races, time is money. bloomberg will self—fund his campaign. nevertheless, he's going to have to announce a final decision soon. it's emerged that two 15—year—old boys were among the 39 people from vietnam who were all found dead in a refrigerated lorry east of london last month. police have now released all their names. daniel sandford reports.

some of the faces of the 39 people who died in the refrigerated trailer 6,000 miles from home. all were from vietnam and were being smuggled into britain. the oldest was 44, but ten of them were teenagers and the two youngest were just 15 years old. one of the 15—year—olds was nguyen huy hung. his relatives say he had been trying tojoin his parents, who live in britain. hoang van tiep was 18. he'd been living in paris for a year. he told his family he was getting a taxi to the uk, but they'd not heard from him since. bui thi nhung was one of two 19—year—old women in the lorry. she'd posted pictures of herself sightseeing in brussels just days before she died. and pham thi tra my was the 26—year—old woman who tragically texted her family to say she was suffocating in the sealed trailer.

detective started this investigation with 39 unknown people dead in the back of a refrigerated lorry on this industrial estate. now, after more than two weeks of intensive work, they've been able to give those people names and faces and to tell their worried families that they won't be coming back. father simon thang duc nguyen has been helping those grieving relatives who are in the uk. it is really very, very painful. very, very sad to know about this tragedy. many of them escape from a very poor area. two lorry drivers are being held, accused of manslaughter. mo robinson is thought to have collected the trailer when it arrived in essex. eamon harrison is thought to have dropped it off in zeebrugge 11 hours earlier. yesterday, police and the republic of ireland raided properties

linked to ronan and chris hughes, two brothers still wanted by essex police. daniel sandford, bbc news. this weekend, thousands of armed forces veterans will take part in the march—past at the cenotaph in whitehall on remembrance sunday. among those marking the day will be 94—year—old harry billinge, who was among the first british soldiers to land in france on d—day. he'd been raising money to help build a new memorial in normandy to remember those who died. he's now been shown images of the memorial for the first time, as our correspondent jon donnison reports. there you are, my love. thank you, darlin'! in the remarkable life of harry billinge, this has been a remarkable year. there's about 35 quid there, harry. it was an appearance on bbc breakfast telly on a normandy beach for the d—day 75th anniversary injune that saw harry go viral. don't say i'm a hero.

i'm no hero. i was lucky. i'm here. all the heroes are dead. and i'll neverforget them as long as i live. since that moment of modesty, harry's fundraising in st austell in cornwall, towards building a memorial in france, has seen a surge. it's nearly at 30,000 now, i believe. ijust put in another 2,000 last monday. i should have been killed on the beach. i was saved, i believe, by the grace of god, for this purpose. you're raising money for something and you can't see it? this morning, harry was back on bbc breakfast to see the memorial as it's being built for the first time. clearly, an emotional moment. 0k? yeah. idid it. ijust had a job to do. all these fellas did a good job. all these men, these wonderful men, young boys of 16. i'm not a brave man.

i'm lucky. i owe my life to the boys that i loved, and i'll neverforget them. amazing. this weekend marks the 50th anniversary of sesame street — the american television show that set out to entertain and educate younger children. to mark the occasion, new york's empire state building was lit up in yellow and green. and there was one very special guest at the event, as the bbc‘s tim allman explains. applause. hi, everybody! it's me, big bird! they were never going to celebrate sesame street without celebrating big bird. hi, debbie. in so many ways the heart of the show, the towering yellow—feathered star looked right at home in the empire state building. also there was caroll spinney, the man who had voiced him and oscar the grouch for most of the last 50 years. a special moment for a special programme. sesame was founded on some fundamental values — that everyone deserves respect,

opportunity, kindness, all with a little bit of furry fun. and those are fundamental, sort of, human attributes and needs for all people, but particularly children. sesame street theme plays. sesame street premiered in november 1969, the brainchild ofjim henson, the man behind the muppets, a pre—school programme that aims to broaden the mind. race, culture, homelessness, autism, hiv and aids — no topic was taboo, no issue was ignored. there's no doubt what is so unique about sesame is that it has a multi—generational appeal. that you have kids growing up with it, you have their parents and, at this point, 50 years later, you have grandparents. a star—studded special will be broadcast this weekend to mark the 50th anniversary. big bird promises he'll

be back for the 100. tim allman, bbc news. that is it. this is bbc news. hello. the recent slow—moving, heavy rain that we saw across much of northern england has now eased away but we are left with the legacy of some very high river levels. quite a lot of flooding, too. so still several flood warnings and even severe flood warnings in force, particularly across parts of northern england. river levels will slowly come down through the course of the weekend. there is a bit more rain on the way for saturday, but it will be heaviest in the places that are not affected by the flooding. a drier day likely by the time we get to sunday, but it's a cold weekend. first thing saturday morning, temperatures widely subzero. down to about —2, —3 in our towns and cities but colder than that in the countryside.

a touch of frost, certainly. also fog or freezing fog patches to start off your day as well. we can see this weather front making its way in from the west. that will bring a mix of rain. and also some sleet and some snow over the highest ground, mainly across parts of wales through the day on saturday but certainly down at low levels, it will be falling as rain. so parts of northern ireland, south—west scotland, wales, western england, seeing the arrival of that rain. eastern england and northern and eastern scotland staying dry through the day after the morning mist clears away. should be some sunshine around but it will feel pretty chilly wherever you are. so we're mainly going to be stuck in single figures, mayjust squeezing 10 celsius there towards plymouth, but for most, about 6—9. that area of rain, with a little bit of sleetiness and snow over the high ground, starts to ease away towards the south as we move through saturday night and overnight into sunday morning. with all the cloud around in the south, it won't be such a cold night — certainly compared to first thing on saturday. temperatures mostly above freezing. but still a cold night to come for northern england, northern ireland

and scotland as well. sunday, remembrance sunday, of course, we're looking pretty decent conditions. lots of dry and fairly sunny weather. there will be some rain working in from the west later on in the day, but much of remembrance sunday is looking fine and dry with light winds, temperatures somewhere between 6—10 degrees for most of us on sunday. then we start to see this frontal system heading in from west to east through sunday night and into monday. you can see a bit of white there, so some sleet and snow over the highest ground, parts of northern england and scotland as well. that main band of rain should clear away gradually on monday, perhaps lingering longest towards the south—east, and then we're back into sunny spells, scattered showers — some of them a little bit wintry over the highest ground. in the sunshine, though, top temperatures around 6—11. bye— bye.

this is bbc news, the headlines: brazil's former president luis inacio lula da silva has walked free from prison where he'd been held for 1.5 years on corruption charges. he was met byjubilant supporters as he was released, which came after the supreme court decided convicts should only go to prison if they have exhausted their appeal options. at least two people have lost their lives as an unprecedented number of bushfires burn across eastern australia. firefighters in the state of new south wales have been struggling to reach some parts and the prime minister scott morrison has warned that the stiuation is likely to get worse. the former new york city mayor michael bloomberg has given the strongest signal yet that he intends to enter the us presidential race. he filed papers for the democratic primary in alabama just before deadline expired. he's said to be worried that the current field of candidates isn't good enough to beat donald trump. here in the uk, a woman has died

after being swept away